Will You Be My Goldfish?
by CatherineCameo
Summary: Mycroft and his adorable orange fish.
1. Prologue

The bedroom was dark and still, the bed made up with the pillows fluffed, the bedside tables absolutely dust free. She hesitated before climbing onto his, no _their_ liked to think of it as theirs, even though they'd only slept in it a handful of times. _What's wrong with us?_ She wondered, slipping under the Egyptian cotton sheets and curling up. Anyone would believe the two had never touched, much less procreated. She buried her nose in the cold pillow and sniffed. If she closed her eyes, she could still smell her husband's unique scent.


	2. Chapter 1

Anthea wakes when she feels the king sized bed dip down at her side. "Mycroft?" she mumbles, eyes half closed.

"It is I." He answers, sliding his arms around her and pulling her close.

The delicate black silk of his pajamas makes her arms goosebump. She sighs shakily with pleasure.

He runs his fingers along her scalp, brushing aside the curls. "I missed you," he hums into her ear.

Anthea rolls over to face him. "How did it go?"

"Fine. Sherlock's patched up and resting. He'll be out of here by tomorrow morning."

"He's coming out of hiding, then?"

"Yes. Thank God."

She falls asleep again, content that all is right with her little world. Never mind the damn agent who got himself killed.


	3. Chapter 2

She doesn't enter until she's called, like a good little minion. With her she brings Sherlock's suit and coat. She stands at attention, ready for anything. Especially for Sherlock to be out of her life.


	4. Chapter 3

Mummy and Dad are coming in to town this week." Mycroft says.

She looks up in surprise. "Really? Why?"

"They want to see how Sherlock's doing. Check up on him, that sort of thing."

"Sounds nice." She retorts, words thick with sarcasm.

"They want to see Le Miserables." His accent is flawless.

"Le Mis?"

He nods.

"I've always wanted to see Le Mis."

"Good. You can take Mummy and Dad."

"Why would your parents want to hang out with me?"

"They adore you, 'Thea."

She smirks. "So do you."

"Of course," he places her hands on his shoulders. "I'm your husband, after all."


	5. Chapter 4

"Goldfish."

She touch types the word into her phone, adding it to the shopping list under the words loo rolls.

Then she wonders what her husband means. As far as she knows (and she likes to think that she knows a lot) that's not code for anything.

"I always liked watching fish." she says, absentmindedly. Mycroft's office could do with some brightly colored fish in a tank. She's heard having fish is a good stress reliever.

"I didn't mean aquatic creatures." Mycroft says in his 'explaining' tone.

_Then what the hell is he talking about?_ She wonders

"Where's my tea?" he demands.

She rolls her eyes at his cranky mood (he's always like that after a visit with Sherlock) and sweeps out. "I'll get it." She calls over her shoulder.


	6. Chapter 5

As she waits for the water to boil, she fires off a text to Sherlock.

**Goldfish? -A**

She's not proud of her action, but sometimes she needs a little help. She stares at the word, painted across the screen of her phone in tiny black pixels.

**I hinted he was lonely and should get over himself. He demanded I change the subject. ;)**

-SH

The winky face is an unnecessary allusion to Sherlock's crush on her when they were teenagers. It brings back an unpleasant memory.

**?-A**

**He seems to think that ordinary people are the equivalent of goldfish. -SH**

**And that's bad because?-A**

**He thinks you're stupid. -SH**

**Of course I'm stupid, everyone is compared to him. -A**

This is apparently evidenced in the fact that she thought of both fish and crackers without coming to the conclusion that Mycroft was referring to people and not adorable orange fish.

**My brother has done wonders for your self-confidence. -SH**

**Were you including me in "everyone"? -SH**

**Being dead has done wonders for your self-confidence. -A**

**Shut up. -SH**

**Btw, how's molly? -A**

She's texting one-handed as she pours the tea.

**Engaged -SH**

But not to him, that much is obvious. Otherwise he'd have appeared on their doorstep handed in hand with the kind-hearted doctor. Sherlock would never miss the chance to shock the socks off Mycroft.

Poor guy. Not only does he have to come back from the dead to save London from a terrorist attack but the love of Sherlock's life has the audacity to move on.

**Sorry -A**

**Don't be. -SH**


	7. Chapter 6

They go to see Le Mis, Mycroft, her, and his parents. Mycroft pretends he's unhappy and makes a grumpy call to Sherlock during the show. But really, he's completely invested in the drama unfolding in front of them. She puts her head on his shoulder and pretends not to notice her husband's unmanly sniffing. All's right with the world, she thinks, glancing down at their intertwined hands.

It isn't until they're back in their bed that Mycroft asks, "Will you be my goldfish?"

She laughs a little. "I already am."


End file.
